Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-01-27

| Shortly thereafter the lire came and
destroyed nearly all, but fortunately,
a few remained and we shall watch
them with much interest the coming
season. Encouraged by last springs
efforts, we now have nearly 1000
bushels of berries crushed and mixed
with sand ready for spring planting.
The danger now nearest at hand is the
possibility may say probability
that the seed will start so early in the
spring as TO be liable injury or ruin by
late frosts. We shall guard little
against this by covering while frozen,
with marsh hay and evergreen boughs
so as to keep them frozen as late as
possible The scientific critic
would object to seeds because they
may sport into variety Of forms, sizes
and qualities, like Seeding apples, thus
giving an undesirable product, possi-i
bly, figs and thistles'' mixed. I
think the dangers are small as COM
pared with the benefits of liberal seed
planting. Even apples where there is
no opportunity for crossing varieties,
sport much less than is generally
supposed. All vines about Berlin are
bell and bugle with little or nothing to
change their offspring for the worse.
Those along the Valley road are about
as uniformly cherry. No one can
doubt that many vines in all marshes
have sprung from seed, and if the
tendency to sport was great the results
would be very manifest Yet distinct
variations are not common
Who has made broad, generous
and faithful experiment in sanding
marshes, after the manner of eastern
growers, and with what results? To
this question no satisfactory answer
has reached me. One plantation has
been made By leading water over sandy
land and holding it there, planting
vines and treating them in all respects
as peat marshes are treated The
results have been very satisfactory.
Of our newly prepared ground we have
carefully leveled and sanded three
acres making the sand about 4 inches
deep and hope to prepare two more
acres in the spring. We do this in
imitation Of eastern methods believing
that what is deemed vitality important
there ought to be of some use here.
Two or three inches may be just as
good, but we want the trial to be just
and honest. A side from plant food
furnished by the sand, the probable
advantages are freedom from grass and
weeds, and that heat absorbed and held
by the sod, may be gradually given
off during the nights, thus giving to
the plants stronger growth and to the
fruit earlier maturity. a-
We hear much about scalping and
removing the sod to fit for vines. 1t
is a nice theory to talk about and [
think mostly ends in talk. Yet [
know of one broad guage. persistent
and successful exampe. There, at the
proper season you can see blocks Of
several acres side by side, l, 2, and
4 years planting, the sod having first
been plowed and removed. Each years
work is success the four years bear
ing 70 to 100 bushels per acre; the B.
years perhaps half as much; the 2
years sprinklng Of fine large berries,
and the 1-year good growth of vines.
Yet careful study of this work
confirms in my mind two ideas not in
accord with the owners views: LIST.
The use of less water in summer.
This marsh is dry one, more natural
for hay than vines. The past summer
it was very dry, its bitches 2 feet deep
being good places to walk in. Yet
both vines and fruit were doing fairly
we'll. I'd. Than the removal of sod
is large and unnecessary expense and
in many cases it would be very bene6-
cial left on the ground. After blowing
thoroughly haul and smooth the sod and
it will make more congenial seed bed
for vines than will the soil below, and
their growth will be more free and
vigorous. On lands too wet to pillow,
the surface should be made as level,
smooth and compact as possible. In
many cases light coat OF sand Gone
or two inches) would be great helper
and cost less than the removal of sod.
Do not mistake my views about
water and its uses. While I fully ap-
preciate its value for winter covering
and protection against untimely frosts,
[ think we have terribly mismanaged
it in summer In Whites Cranberry
Culture we read on page 58: Until
vines are matted, keep the meadow
thoroughly drained at least one foot
below the surface" And on page "a
he goes so far as to say, Young plan
tations should not be flooded over in
winter until after the third seasons
growth. y These indicate eastern
practices. Why should our vines re-
quire different treatment? Yet how
few Of US drain a foot below the sur
SAGE. Water, for frost protection is
very valuable, but 40-acre reservoir
will not thoroughly protect 100 acres
of vines pSnncia1lv IF the rosoryo;r =,